Accord is highlighting the contribution supported housing makes to the West Midlands as part of today’s Starts at Home day.

Starts at Home, now in its second year and run by the National Housing Federation, celebrates how supported housing helps hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people regain their independence and confidence.

Accord’s support comes as uncertainty surrounds the future funding of supported housing. The National Housing Federation and its members are campaigning to persuade the Government to commit to ensuring that every person who needs extra support has a home that meets their needs.

As part of the campaign, Accord has also written to local MPs calling on them to champion supported housing in Parliament.

Maxine Espley, Accord’s Executive Director for Care & Support said: “The need remains imperative to implement a sustainable funding model for supported housing. Accord offers supported housing to a diverse range of customer groups – from older people’s Extra Care schemes where customers have their own tenancy but access care services when needed to accommodation-related support for ex-offenders and vulnerable groups who are at risk of homelessness, and many more services in between. We must safeguard supported housing at all costs.”

David Orr, Chief Executive at the National Housing Federation said:“Supported housing helps people to live independently and achieve their aspirations in a safe and secure home. It is a critical time for supported housing; we must highlight how vital a lifeline it is to so many vulnerable people and show Government why supported housing should be put on a secure and sustainable footing for the future.”